Crown Point gets budget down

CROWN POINT – The proposed Crown Point town budget holds taxes at the state cap.

“We had to make some cuts to stay under the cap,” Crown Point Town Supervisor Charles Harrington said. “A budget is always a best-guess document. But it’s under the cap.”

Crown Point’s state tax cap was 0.6 percent for 2017, and the budget’s tax levy came in just slightly under that. The 2017 budget totals $1.12 million, up from $1.18 million last year, with $920,445 to be raised by taxes.

The separate Crown Point Fire District tax rate dropped from $1.38 per $1,000 of assessment to $1.36. That budget is set by a Board of Fire Commissioners, not the town.

The town tax rate, including water and fire districts, is projected to increase by 2 cents, Harrington said, from $8.79 per $1,000 of assessment, to $8.80 for 2017.

The budget uses $50,000 each in unexpended fund balance for both general fund and Highway Department budgets to reduce taxes.

Harrington said the budget gives 2 percent pay raises to town employees and elected officials.

The Town Council was scheduled to adopt the budget on Oct. 20. Harrington said the board may tweak the spending plan before final passage.

The public hearing on the budget is at 5:45 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 10, with the board slated to vote on the budget at the meeting to follow.

“I think it’s (the budget) going to be all right,” Harrington said. “We did a lot of work on it.”